Friday, August 8, 2008

The House Where Horror Lived

Here’s another spook filled haunted house classic to round out our work week, (and is it just me or does this actually look like the same house as yesterday?!) Whatever the case may be, TGIF--- thank god it's frightening!

From the September 1953 issue of Web of Evil #6.








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And thanks again everyone, especially you regulars, new and old (and welcome back HP!) for your continued daily devotion to THOIA, you guys ‘n ghouls truly make it endlessly fun for us all… and dare I say maybe a little *gasp!* educational, even sexy.

And head’s up: In two weeks (the 18th) we’ll be kicking off another week long THOIA contest. I don’t really know what the contest will be yet but if you have a good suggestion, or have a desire to play guest judge, or even have a great idea for a prize then I wanna hear from you. Drop me a line at karswell@hotmail.com NOW.
Have a grave weekend!

11 comments:

Tim Tylor said...

Hey, talking out of a severed neck is quite a trick. Good enough for music-hall, even.

Mr. Cavin said...

"A man of courage must keep clean and fortified"

With booze! I love it! It's a story about a man who gets drunk and does stunts. Speaking of that, it's interesting the number of times I see the theory tacitly advanced in stories like this that the bravery required to hop several stories into a burning barrel of water is the very same bravery one needs to sleep in a creepy place. I, for example, am not too concerned about those dead ghosts. But if I had to give a Powerpoint presentation, even before a live audience, in that house it would shave years off my life.

I'll be needing my booze, Melville!

All that said, I think this plot has fantastic picaresque potential: sidekick episodically attempts to frighten star. Honestly, how benign. Don't let the splash fool you: this guy might have been peevish, but what he attempted was harmless enough. I'd like to see a Bud and Lou type comedy with the same set up.

And with a nod to the Vicar's recent adopted catchphrase, this story's offering is pretty sweet, too"

"Ready the rented car... the fools have had enough!"

Anonymous said...

So,im taking it his full name was Melville Drake? or Drake Melville?or does he have the power to switch names?(>gasp<).awesome name either way.as for the story,im glad Carlton got his comeuppance along with his servant(with an awesome name).no man(with such an awesome name)should take that kind of abuse---your esteemed friend;Horror pariah:defender of bad naming continuity.

Anonymous said...

The whole caretaker part at the end kind of confused me - was the caretaker the same guy that he paid to wire the house? Was the caretaker the white ghoul ghost that tried to help? Are they the same person? Anyway still loved the story - there just aren't enough haunted house tales around anymore.

Anonymous said...

ARE WE SURE THE 2 HEADED MONSTER ON PAGE 5 DIDN'T ESCAPE FROM THE HOUSE OF SCREAMING FIENDS? OR MAYBE HE JUST EARNED THAT EXTRA HEAD FROM THE GHOST WHO HAD NO HEAD AT ALL. FUN STUFF.

AND ANOTHER CONTEST ON THE WAY WOO HOO!!!!!

Kitty LeClaw said...

Wow. Loving Carlton's homage to Beetlejuice on Page 4, Panel 4. Kinda makes me wonder how he might look in the Batsuit...

And, King Karswell, it's confession time: are you harbouring powerful emotions in your breast? Let it all out. Release is good. Unload on me.

Can't think of any more double entendres right now, but I'll be back later if any pop up! Totally accidental, that last one. Fer serious.

The Vicar of VHS said...

NIIIICE one! Wow, what a great haunted house tale! I love the way Carlton is insufferable to both fans and servants alike, so you don't feel too bad about his letting his sanity run down his pant-leg halfway through...and the subplot of the jealous butler is pretty sweet too...hey, waitaminnit! CALVIN, DAMN YOU! ;)

The List:

* "Suffer, CARTON!" You won't come out till you've smoked 'em all!

* I LOVE the "hair turned white from fear" trope. Can't get enough of it. WIN.

* Speaking neck stump: DOUBLE-WIN. I want to see this done in the movies, with practical effects to make the bloody neck-hole form the words. That would be SWEET.

* "My friends and I have destroyed your BOX OF EVIL!" I hate when that happens. And how is that NOT a horror porn title?

* Nice of the spirit to offer Melville a choice as to his method of death. I'd go with Lou Costello's reply from A&C Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff: "How do you wish to die?" "Old age!"

And of course, "OMG TWO-HEADED GORILLA BEAST!" for the TRIPLE-SCARE-SCORE! As someone said, I guess this way all the heads average out properly.

Excellent week of stories, K! Can't wait to see what's next!

(And Kitty, I'm sensing you missed a few days in obedience school...just an impression I get...)

Patrick said...

In tribute to the AC concert you went to last night, here are some lyrics from "The Eyes of Alice Cooper"... Namely "This House is Haunted":

"Oh... This house is haunted
Oh... That`s how I want it to be
Oh... This house is haunted
You can always stay here with me..."

Wish I could find a haunted house nearby- they seem like so much fun!!

Mr. Karswell said...

I bet no one other blog has commentors like mine. You all rule. I also hope some of you don't get offeneded by my lack of personal comment response as done in the past. I know some people get miffed by thinking they're being ignored but it's not the case here... I've been completely overwhelmed lately with internal issues from both ends of the awesome / bummer spectrum so please don't take it personally either. We're all friends here right? I invited you all into my house of horror so please make yourselves right at home, and do what thou will shall be the whole of the law...

Tomorrow the Purple Claw returns with a tale that totally eclipses last week's origin story, featuring one truly awesome femme fatale. You're gonna love it, guaranteed. See ya in the mourn...

Mr. Cavin said...

...but my very favortie thing about the whole story is probably that fifth panel on the last page:

"Great scott! LOOK!"

Says one of a group of people beneath a second story window. A living human being is plunging head first through the panes. He's terrified, helpless. The last thing he hears in this life?

"Out of the way, everyone!"

Man I want that group in the mosh at my next stage dive.

(ah, the very end of a long, satisfying day)

Tim Tylor said...

"Perhaps, one day, they'll tear this place of evil down!" ... Yeah, sure. Once the postcards and the ghost-themed snowglobes and the "I Gawped At The House of Haunted Horror From A Safe Distance" t-shirts stop selling.